Detecting danger—or just another odorant? Olfactory sensitivity for the fox odor component 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline in four species of mammals

Laska, Matthias; Fendt, Markus; Wieser, Alexandra; Endres, Thomas; Salazar, Laura Teresa Hernández; Apfelbach, Raimund

doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.11.006

Cited by 59 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…It should be mentioned, however, that these studies employed changes in respiration frequency and heart rate, respectively, to determine olfactory detection thresholds, and both methods are known to be less sensitive than operant conditioning procedures (Hastings, 2003). A within-species comparison between the detection threshold values of the present study with those obtained in earlier studies using the same methods and animals but with other classes of odorants such as aliphatic esters (Hernandez Salazar et al, 2003;Laska and Seibt, 2002a), alcohols (Laska and Seibt, 2002b;Laska et al, 2006a), aldehydes (Laska et al, 2003b;Laska et al, 2006a), ketones (Laska et al, 2005a), carboxylic acids , terpenes (Laska et al, 2006c), thiazoles (Laska et al, 2005b), or steroids (Laska et al, 2005c;Laska et al, 2006b) reveals that in all three species of primate at least one of the putrefaction-associated odorants employed here (indol with squirrel monkeys and pigtail macaques, ethanethiol and 3-methyl indol with the spider monkeys) yielded the lowest detection thresholds among the more than 50 odorants tested so far. This finding is in line with reports showing that human subjects are particularly sensitive to thiols and indols (van Gemert, 2003).…”

Section: The Journal Of Experimental Biologymentioning

confidence: 47%

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Olfactory sensitivity for putrefaction-associated thiols and indols in three species of non-human primate

Laska

Bautista

Höfelmann

et al. 2007

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY Using a conditioning paradigm, the olfactory sensitivity of four spider monkeys, three squirrel monkeys and three pigtail macaques to four thiols and two indols, substances characteristic of putrefaction processes and faecal odours, was assessed. With all odorants, the animals significantly discriminated concentrations below 1 p.p.m. (part per million) from the odourless solvent, and in several cases individual animals even demonstrated thresholds below 1 p.p.t. (part per trillion). The detection thresholds of 0.03 p.p.t. for indol in Saimiri sciureus and Macaca nemestrina and 0.96 p.p.t. for ethanethiol in Ateles geoffroyirepresent the lowest values among the more than 50 odorants tested so far with these species and are in the same order of magnitude as the lowest detection thresholds reported so far in the rat and the mouse. The results showed (a)all three species of non-human primate to have a highly developed olfactory sensitivity for putrefaction-associated odorants, and (b) a significant correlation between perceptibility in terms of olfactory detection threshold and carbon chain length of the thiols, and a marked effect of the presence vs absence of a methyl group on perceptibility of the indols tested in two of the three species. The results support the hypotheses that (a)between-species differences in neuroanatomical or genetic features may not be indicative of olfactory sensitivity, and (b) within-species differences in olfactory sensitivity may reflect differences in the behavioural relevance of odorants.

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Section: The Journal Of Experimental Biologymentioning

confidence: 47%

“…In rats, for example, the lowest olfactory detection threshold determined so far has been reported for 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline (TMT), a volatile compound characteristic of fox faecal odour: the odour of a natural predator of the rat (Laska et al, 2005b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Olfactory sensitivity for putrefaction-associated thiols and indols in three species of non-human primate

Laska

Bautista

Höfelmann

et al. 2007

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Therefore, we performed a separate behavioral experiment, in which the effects of clonidine injections into the BNST on TMT-induced freezing behavior were investigated. In previous experiments, we showed that freezing is the most affected behavior by TMT exposure (Fendt et al, 2003;Laska et al, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Noradrenaline Transmission within the Ventral Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Is Critical for Fear Behavior Induced by Trimethylthiazoline, a Component of Fox Odor

Fendt¹,

Siegl²,

Steiniger‐Brach³

2005

J. Neurosci.

104

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The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is involved in the mediation of fear behavior in rats. A previous study of our laboratory demonstrated that temporary inactivation of the BNST blocks fear behavior induced by exposure to trimethylthiazoline (TMT), a component of fox odor. The present study investigates whether noradrenaline release within the BNST is critical for TMT-induced fear behavior. First, we confirmed previous studies showing that the ventral BNST is the part of the BNST that receives the densest noradrenaline innervation. Second, using in vivo microdialysis, we showed that noradrenaline release within the BNST is strongly increased during TMT exposure, and that this increase can be blocked by local infusions of the ␣ 2 -receptor blocker clonidine. Third, using intracerebral injections, we showed that clonidine injections into the ventral BNST, but not into neighboring brain sites, completely blocked TMTinduced potentiation of freezing behavior. The present data clearly show that the noradrenergic innervation of the ventral BNST is important for the full expression of behavioral signs of fear to the predator odor TMT.

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“…All bats were released at the place of capture directly after the experiments were finished (approximately 20h after capture). moll -1 (Laska et al, 2005). Given that bats' olfactory thresholds for short-chain alcohols, aldehydes and acids are about the same as that of humans (Neuweiler, 2000), we consider it very likely that the bats can detect the TMT concentration we used, which was 8 to 10 orders of magnitude above primate threshold.…”

Section: Materials and Methods Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cave-dwelling bats do not avoid TMT and 2-PT – components of predator odour that induce fear in other small mammals

Driessens

Siemers

2010

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYRecognition and avoidance of predators is fundamental for the survival of prey animals. Here we conducted the first study assessing chemosensory predator recognition in cave-dwelling bats. We used a Y-maze approach to test the reaction of greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) to two synthetically derived components of predator odour (2,4,5-trimethyl-3-thiazoline, TMT, a component of fox faeces scent; and 2-propylthietane, 2-PT, a component of mustelid scent) and to the natural scent of the least weasel (Mustela nivalis). It is well documented that rodents and several other small mammals show strong and at least partly innate fear reactions when confronted with these odorants. By contrast, the bats did not show any avoidance or fear reaction, despite the fact that relatively high odorant concentrations were presented. Furthermore, they did not react differently towards predator scent and towards acrid but otherwise neutral odours (basil or goat). The number of entries into in the Y-maze arm with the odour source and the time spent in this arm as well as the bats' overall exploratory activity and several other behavioural variables were not affected by the odour treatments. Generally, the sense of smell is well developed in bats and plays an important role in bat behavioural ecology. It is thus somewhat surprising that the bats did not show any avoidance reaction to predator scent, even though direct contact with a mustelid or fox would result in death. We discuss ecological explanations that might have prevented bats from evolving olfactory predatory recognition and avoidance.

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Detecting danger—or just another odorant? Olfactory sensitivity for the fox odor component 2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline in four species of mammals

Cited by 59 publications

References 42 publications

Olfactory sensitivity for putrefaction-associated thiols and indols in three species of non-human primate

Olfactory sensitivity for putrefaction-associated thiols and indols in three species of non-human primate

Noradrenaline Transmission within the Ventral Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Is Critical for Fear Behavior Induced by Trimethylthiazoline, a Component of Fox Odor

Cave-dwelling bats do not avoid TMT and 2-PT – components of predator odour that induce fear in other small mammals

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